The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport

“Did you see the notice I had Dan Marcy leave?”

“I did; but that counts for nothing with me.”

“I’ll have the law on ye!”

“Perhaps you will, and perhaps you won’t, Hiram.”

“Don’t Hiram me, Joel Runnell. I don’t put myself on a level with a vagabond o’ a game stealer like you. If – ”

“Hold on there, Skeetles. I am no game stealer, and if you say so – ” The old hunter had leaped up, gun in hand.

“Don’t – don’t ye shoot me!” howled the real estate dealer.

“Then don’t say such things again. Every bit of game I bring in I come by honestly.”

“Where are those Westmore chaps?” questioned Hiram Skeetles, deeming it best to shift the subject.

“They have gone out to bring in some game we shot yesterday.”

“Did they see the notice?”

“They did, and they care for it as little as I do.”

“Think they can ride over me, eh?” Hiram Skeetles took a turn up and down the apartment. “Must say the lot of ye are carryin’ matters with a high hand.”

“What did you do with Dan Marcy?” asked Joel Runnell, suddenly.

“That’s my business.”

“If you brought him along to worry us you did a very foolish thing,” went on the old hunter. “I haven’t forgotten how he tried to run down my girl with his ice boat.”

“Your gal had a right to git out o’ the way.”

“I won’t argue the point. But if Marcy worries me any more he’ll get something he won’t like.”

“We’ll see about this. I’ll call on the sheriff,” said Hiram Skeetles; and without another word he passed out of the lodge, and made his way toward the upper end of the lake.

Anxious to learn what would be the man’s next move, Joel Runnell followed. But Skeetles broke into a run, and soon disappeared from view among a patch of woods.

In thoughtful mood the old hunter walked back to the lodge, and then toward where Fred was fishing. He found the youth safe, and surprised to learn that the real estate dealer had showed himself in that out-of-the-way place.

“He doesn’t like it that Joe and Harry are here,” said Fred. “I really think he’s afraid they’ll find that pocketbook he says he once lost.”

“I hope they do find it – if it’s got those missing papers in it,” was the answer.

Fred had already caught several fish, and said he intended to catch as many more before he quit, no matter how cold it grew.

“I’ll show them that I can catch fish even if I’m no good at deer hunting,” he explained.

“Have you seen anything in the shape of game since you came down?”

“I saw something that looked like a black bear. But he didn’t come near here.”

“A bear? Where?”

Fred pointed out the direction, and Joel Runnell started off to see if the report was true. But he could find nothing, and in half an hour he returned.

“You must have been mistaken, Fred. Perhaps it was nothing but a shadow.”

“Well, I was busy fishing, and didn’t notice particularly,” returned the boy.

He said he wanted to catch just two fish more, and would then return to the lodge.

“All right, but don’t get frozen stiff doing it,” answered Joel Runnell.

“When do you think Joe and Harry will return?”

“They ought to be along inside of an hour. They’ll find that load a pretty heavy one.”

“I heard some shooting over there a while ago. But it has stopped now.”

To warm himself, the old hunter walked briskly in the direction of Snow Lodge. He felt uneasy; why, he could not explain.

“Those boys may have gotten into trouble,” he thought. “Perhaps I had better slip after them and find out.”

As he came in sight of the lodge an exclamation of astonishment burst from his lips. All of their traps and stores had been tumbled in a heap on the edge of the clearing, and the door was tightly closed, and the broken-out window partly barred.

“This is Skeetles’ work!” he muttered.

“Stop where you are!” came in the real estate dealer’s voice, as Runnell walked to the door and tried it, to find it locked. “If you attempt to come in you’ll get shot.”

“That’s the talk,” was added by Dan Marcy. “Possession is nine points of the law, and we want you to take your stuff and be gone!”

“But see here – ” began Joel Runnell.

“We won’t argy with ye!” snarled Hiram Skeetles, as he appeared at the window, gun in hand. “Clear out, an’ be quick about it.”

Joel Runnell was about to say something far from complimentary to the pair, when a yell from the lake shore reached his ears. Fred was running toward him with a face full of fear.

“The bear! The bear!” he yelled. “He’s after me!”

CHAPTER XII

DRIVEN FROM THE LODGE

As soon as he heard Fred’s cry, Joel Runnell forgot for the time being his trouble with Hiram Skeetles and Dan Marcy.

“A bear?” he repeated. “Where is he?”